Regulation of a presynaptic adenylate cyclse from bovine cerebellum by beta-adrenergic receptors.

Intact crude synaptosome from bovine cerebellum contain, in addition to an externally accessible (postsynaptic) adenylate cyclase, an enzyme with its catalytic center oriented towards the inside of the synaptosome (presynaptic adenylate cyclase). This is demonstrated by the unmasking of latent adenylate cyclase activity by Triton X-100. Furthermore, intact crude synaptosomes can synthesize cyclic AMP from adenine. This synthesis takes place inside the synaptosomes as the postsynaptic adenylate cyclase is inactive in the Krebs-Ringer buffer. Presynaptic adenylate cyclase activity is not influenced by depolarization, as shown by [3H]adenine pulse-labeling, but is stimulated by (-)-norepinephrine and (-)-isoproterenol. (+/-)-Propranolol inhibits this stimulation whereas phentolamine has no effect, suggesting the presence of a beta-adrenergic receptor-coupled presynaptic adenylate cyclase.